Kallidaikurichi Vedanta Bhagavatar

A tribute to an interesting musician

http://www.thehindu.com/fr/2009/02/27/stories/2009022750200300.htm

A tribute to S Rajam on his birthday

S Rajam is a man I simply adore. He celebrated his completing 90 years on Feb 10th and I was lucky to be there when he cut the cake. My tribute to him appeared in The Hindu today.

http://www.thehindu.com/fr/2009/02/13/stories/2009021351140100.htm

Short and Snappy dated January 15th

Police Parables

 

Our police, on whom may there be peace, having more or less given up methods of physically controlling the traffic, have begun targeting our minds instead. The Man from Madras Musings has been on his rounds and has noticed words of wisdom being flashed at him from various traffic signals. The old chestnut is of course the one word – RELAX, which shines forth like a beacon from the red light. You are expected to do that when the motorcyclist behind you, thinking he can make it across the signal and then realising it is too late, crashes into your bumper. You are also expected to relax when the auto rickshaw driver behind you gives you a look of contempt for not jumping the signal and carrying on regardless of the lights, thereby enabling him to follow suit. And you are also expected to relax when the policeman at the signal impatiently signals you to keep moving even if the lights have turned red for have you not noticed behind you the important government car with a more important red light flashing from its hood and a most impatient driver, which you have been blocking from its onward journey? Many years ago MMM, when a cherubic child, had learnt the following nursery rhyme –

 

Stop says the red light

Go says the green

Change says the amber light

Twinkling in between

 (There was some gobbledegook following this about how we all must obey them, even the king, but this is a democracy where everyone is above such laws and so let us leave those lines aside.)

 

For Government cars this should read

 

Go says the red light

Race says the green

Charge says the amber light

And ram what is in between

 

MMM can see the Chief armed with red pencil and muttering under his breath about people who write yards on yarns and never come to the point and so let us get back to the parables. At the Connemara signal there is a message which says that if only we ran our cars at a constant speed of 30 kmph we could save as much as 20% fuel. MMM would certainly love to do this. But what about the others on the road whose sole purpose in life appears to be to prevent MMM from reaching that magic figure of 30 kmph? How does MMM achieve such a high speed when there are potholes and also boulders from medians that have deviated from the mode and are meanly waiting to crash into vehicles? And what about the general traffic indiscipline and the politician who does not think twice before organising a rally and putting everyone on an eternal wait? And what about the non-coordinated traffic lights which make you stop at every junction? MMM thinks 30 kmph is meant only for those who travel in government cars with red lights. For it is only they who can keep cruising along at a constant speed. But the problem is that these vehicles travel at much higher speeds. As for MMM, he rarely reaches 20 kmph and so there he will remain – a lowly life.

 

At the Anna Nagar crossing MMM notices, you have a series of messages flashed at you. Each one is worded in English that is meant to amuse, entertain and therefore uplift. Unfortunately, just as MMM was beginning to note down each howler as it flashed across the lights, the policeman signalled him to move on for could he not see another red light flashing behind? And so those of you who are hanging on to MMM’s every word must now wait till he passes by that signal once again. Or better still, you can go there and check the messages out yourself. Nothing like experiencing a joke in the first person.

 

It was but a short while ago that the police installed timers on traffic lights which would inform those pawing on the accelerator as to how many more seconds they would have to wait before the lights changed. These lights in MMM’s view served more to relax than anything else as people had a clear idea on the time left. Of late these timers have ceased to work at most locations barring the VIP routes and nobody except the company that supplied the timers and (hopefully) collected the money is happy. Why don’t the police get these working again? But then, inaugurations with fanfare make it to the headlines. Routine maintenance (or lack of it) never does.

 

Holy Man’s holiday

 

In these days of economic recession and gloom and doom, the Man from Madras Musings often worries about his choice of profession and as to what the future holds for it. Did he choose wisely asks MMM to himself and the answer is sometimes a yes and at other times a resounding no. On looking around, MMM takes the view that he made as good a choice as any. But there are days when this equanimity is shaken. Take for instance the other day when MMM found himself at a mofussil airport. Security was tight and even the air let in to the building was being frisked or so it appeared for the heat was intense. Everyone was asked if he/she was really he/she and several proofs of identity were demanded and each scrutinised with the greatest suspicion. That was till His Holiness (HH) appeared. He was followed by a huge throng and all of them were let in, no doubt their badges identifying them to be HH’s faithful flock being proof enough. HH blessed a seat with his posterior and immediately all of his devotees sat around, with the white-skinned among these kneeling forward so as to not miss a single word that fell from the august lips. An informal séance of sorts was conducted while some minions checked in HH and his entourage. Those who could not be accommodated in the near vicinity were allowed to gaze down from a verandah overhead.

 

MMM, given his vulgar and rather shameless curiosity, hung around to hear what was being said but HH spoke in low tones and was heard only by the blessed. Time hangs heavy in mofussil airports and the arrival of HH was good entertainment value for the security guards, the stevedores, the bored shop assistants and others. When security check was announced we sinners formed a queue but were ordered to stand aside while HH went in and no doubt duly blessed those on duty. His entourage too received preferred treatment while those who had come to see him off shouted chants and cheered. This time MMM was too quick and managed to find himself a seat just behind HH in the departure lounge. The faithful objected with many looks and grimaces but then nothing could be done and so MMM was tolerated. In such close proximity MMM managed to hang on to every word. The benediction largely dealt with HH’s proposed tour of the Americas. The visa difficulties were discussed in full and one of the devotees promised to arrange matters through the fifth cousin of the niece of his wife who could manage an interview. He was duly blessed and the chagrin on the faces of the others had to be seen to be believed. Then came the final pronouncement before boarding was announced. HH was clear as to his choice of airline. Only Virgin Atlantic would do he said. There we parted, for HH travelled business class while MMM slummed it at the rear along with the devotees who could obviously not share HH’s air space.

 

And now MMM knows what he missed. His grandmother had always advised MMM to be pure and holy and MMM who was anything but that, missed a golden opportunity. Grandma knew best.

 

A Forest Department for Chennai

Government creates a forest department for Chennai

 

Having struggled for years with the problem of creating an adequate green cover for the city, the Government has finally announced that it will set up an urban forestry division to tackle it. Employees of the energy wood division in Chengalpattu which is being wound up will be redeployed in the new division to be set up. While all this is most encouraging, it is not clear as to what this department will achieve which earlier efforts have failed at. Unless there is clear coordination between other vital ministries and departments nothing can succeed in greening the city.

 

On paper the planned unit is quite clear. It will comprise an Assistant Conservator of Forests with six rangers and twelve foresters under him and they will lead the effort. Their prime responsibility will be to grow saplings and ensure that these are distributed to people. They will also work towards creating eco clubs in schools and work with concerned government agencies and NGOs. For good measure, restoring of the rivers’ ecology has also been vested with this division though it is not clear as to this can be possible given the number of agencies that contribute to the present state of the river. At best, this new division can probably work towards greening the river banks. North Chennai will come in for concentrated effort in greening as it presently has the highest air pollution figures in the city.

 

The problems that face the new division are plenty. Chennai has had reforestation plans on paper for years and several half-hearted attempts have been made. Each year, Vanamahotsava is celebrated with fanfare and a few saplings are planted on main roads only to have them vanishing within a few days. It has been reported that presently the Chennai Corporation does not even meet 50% of the saplings targets while managing to spend large sums of money on such activities. Meetings between various departments are not held beyond once a year and that is an indication of how much importance is given to greening the city. However on paper, each of the city’s zones is given a target of planting 1000 saplings. It is significant that the plan does not go beyond planting, for the care of planted saplings is not thought of.

 

Those who are concerned with the green cover of the city also complain of the lack of any scientific basis for planting trees. Just about any species is selected and planted and many of these are completely unsuited to the city’s climate and weather patterns. Shallow rooted trees such as gulmohar find greater favour with authorities as they are probably fast growing but these are most prone to being uprooted during the cyclones in November/December. What Chennai needs according to these experts are more trees of the native variety such as the konrai, the neem and the mandarai. These are long lasting and strike deep roots and grow to good heights. NGOs have been leading campaigns to promote awareness about these trees and these appear to have borne fruit for the Corporation has agreed to grow more saplings of these trees.

 

But unless the new urban forests division is given a clear mandate and proper decision taking powers, its effectiveness is likely to remain a question mark.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Protecting Pulicat

Protecting Pulicat

 

A few years ago the Government launched a powerful campaign for rainwater harvesting in the city and it worked wonders. Not only did the groundwater table get recharged, the storage levels in various tanks and reservoirs in the city also improved. This is all to the good, for it answers immediate citizen concerns. But the news as far Pulicat Lake, a vital water body that plays an important role in the eco system of which Chennai is a part, is alarming and in the long run it could spell disaster.

 

A recent study done on the Pulicat Lake by the Loyola Institute of Frontier Technology has shown that the lake which was once 460 sq km and was hence the second largest water body in the country after the Chilka Lake in Orissa, has now shrunk to 350 sq km in extent and its depth has reduced from four metres to 1.5 metres. This shrinkage of the lake is largely due to the rapid silting up of its northern end. The reduction of water spread and depth has led to lower aquatic life. The silting up of the mouth of the lake through which vital sea water enters the lake has further endangered the aquatic life in the water body. This has led to formation of sand dunes and in summer when the inflow is even less, there could be greater loss to aquatic life.

 

While silting and deepening can be handled by quick action, there are several other factors that need going into in greater detail and this requires political will and putting into place certain policy decisions. Firstly there is indiscriminate dumping of plastic waste into the lake which needs to be stopped. Indiscriminate fishing is a second reason for loss of aquatic life. Fishing in the lake, which was a hereditary profession and which was allowed only in certain parts of it, has now become widespread. Farmers have taken to it and several among them use fishing nets of very fine mesh which go by the name of Padi Valai in local parlance. This net manages to capture even small organisms and eggs and also ensures a heavy catch. The tiny organisms being vital to the food chain in the lake, this practice does not therefore allow for recharging of aquatic life in the lake. The study has demanded that the tiny living creatures should be let back into the lake after the catch of fish has been taken.

 

Motor boats are used indiscriminately in the lake where only paddle and row boats were used earlier. Traffic continues throughout the day and night and this unsettles both aquatic and bird life thereby affecting the ecology. Prawns that traditionally entered the lake only late in the night when the water was relatively calm, have reduced in numbers now. The study has demanded the setting up of an independent organisation on the lines of the Chilka Lake Development Authority in Orissa for managing Pulicat.

 

Pulicat extends between North Tamil Nadu and South Andhra Pradesh and is 80kms away from Chennai. There are problems on both sides of the lake and decisions by both states have adversely affected it. In Andhra around 4700 ha of land has been released for a marine chemicals and salt manufacturing industry. On the Tamil Nadu side, the petrochemical complex, the power plant and the satellite port on Ennore Creek have been major threats.

The lake which is a salt water lagoon is home to over 60,000 migrant water birds and around 40,000 people living in 34 villages on the Tamil Nadu side of it depend on it for their livelihood. A water body that is perhaps over a million years old may well be on the verge of extinction.

 

Can something be done before it is too late?

 

 

 

O Thanikachalam Chettiar

Justice and Equal Opportunities – the life of O Thanikachalam Chettiar

Having been interested in the street names of Chennai for long, Thanikachalam Street in T Nagar had long been a mystery to me. It was only recently that I came across a few sources, published and otherwise that gave details about a remarkable personality. Here is a brief account based on these.

The O Narayana Chettiyar family was one of several middle class households of 19^th century Madras and resided at Tondiarpet. Narayana Chettiyar’s first wife bore him three sons and his second wife, Vedammal had six among whom the eldest was Thanikachalam who was born in 1875. Narayana Chettiyar died when Thanikachalam was still young and it was left to Vedammal to bring up her brood of six. Her eldest was the bright one and having completed his schooling at the Muthialpet Middle School, he joined the Madras Christian College and graduated in Physical Science from there in 1896.

Thanikachalam then joined the Head Post Office where he worked for some time before getting a job as a clerk at Short, Bewes and Company, a European firm of solicitors of many years standing in Madras city. His diligence was rewarded and he soon rose to become Manager. Deciding to put the legal knowledge he was acquiring to good use, he joined the Law College even while continuing with his job and in 1908 he qualified as an Attorney at Law. Keeping in mind his experience at Short, Bewes and Company, the Madras High Court waived the minimum number of years required for a person to be enrolled as a lawyer and duly admitted him. From then on O Thanikachalam Chettiar or OT Chettiar as he became better known made a mark for himself in the field of law. In time, his legal acumen came to the notice of Short, the senior partner of the firm who began entrusting him with a number of briefs. The firm specialised in cases filed against the Corporation of Madras and Chettiar acquired deep knowledge about the civic body’s workings. This was to stand him in good stead later in life. Short, Bewes and Co was later reorganised following the retirement of Mr Short and was renamed as Bewes and Thanikachalam, the new senior partner recognising the talents of the manager and by then practically the standing counsel of the firm and making him a partner as well.

OT Chettiar was not a man to remain content with his work in the legal profession and he soon became involved in politics. In 1916 (later Sir) Pitty Theyagaraya Chetty, Dr TM Nair and C Natesa Mudaliar began a series of Non Brahmin Conferences in Madras Presidency and this culminated in 1917 in the setting up of the South Indian Welfare Association with its political wing the South Indian Liberal Federation. The latter came to be known as the Justice Party, a name derived from its English language daily, The Justice. The party had as its principal aim the prevention of Brahmin domination in all Government offices and educational institutions. OT Chettiar threw himself wholeheartedly into this movement and in course of time emerged as the right hand of Sir Pitty Theyagaraya Chetty.

Marrying Manikkammal in 1909, OT Chettiar set up home at No 305, Linghi Chetty Street. The couple had four daughters. In 1918 Manikkammal passed away and in the subsequent year, OT Chettiar married Kamakshi Ammal. He was to have four sons and a daughter through her.

Such domestic upheavals notwithstanding, OT Chettiar stood as a candidate for Madras Corporation Council election for Zone 6 and won handsomely against Dr U Krishnaswami, the candidate of the Congress in 1919. He was to win in the elections of 1922 also. He was to be an important member of the Committees that were in charge of taxes and expenditure. In 1925 he was elected President of the Madras Corporation (equivalent to the latter day Mayor). That year he was defeated in the elections but the Rajah of Panagal who was then Premier of Madras Presidency appreciated his services and nominated him to the Corporation as a councilor.

The Montagu Chelmsford Reforms of 1919 saw the setting up of Diarchy in Madras Presidency and elections were held in 1920 for the Madras Legislative Council. The Justice Party won majority and one of the victorious contestants was OT Chettiar. The first Premier Subbarayalu Reddiar soon stepped down on grounds of ill-health and was succeeded by Parthasarathy Ramarayaningar, the Rajah of Panagal. OT Chettiar lent him his full support. In August 1921, he brought forward two proposals to the Legislative Council, both with far-reaching consequences. The first was that all Government posts were to be henceforth filled only by non-Brahmin candidates even if they possessed only the minimum qualifications for the posts. The second was that all posts in the Madras Secretariat (excluding the ICS) were to be filled by non-Brahmins only. Both resolutions were passed with a majority. This was to later fructify as the Communal GO in 1928 which stipulated reservations on caste and religious lines, a forerunner of the contentious reservation policy of the Government of India. OT Chettiar also sought reforms in the Judiciary. Observing that a majority of district munsiffs were Brahmins he brought forward a resolution that the Government ought to take over the appointment of munsiffs from the High Court. He later withdrew this proposal when the Government and the Court jointly agreed to look into the matter, setting up an independent committee for this.

In 1921 the Buckingham and Carnatic Mills in Perambur declared a lockout following labour trouble. The lockout persisted for over six months. At the end of three months, one group of workers, identified with a particular community, reported to work and this was opposed by the others. Violence erupted in the Pulianthope area with arson, looting and killing. The police resorted to firing for over two days. Sir Pitty, OT Chettiar and Dr C Natesa Mudaliar toured the area without any police escort and formed their own conclusions. Based on this, OT Chettiar raised the issue in the Legislative Council and in his speech strongly condemned police inaction and also apathy on part of the department in charge of labour matters. Under Diarchy these were departments directly under the Governor and a speech criticising them was tantamount to criticism of the Governor himself. This, from a member of the Justice Party which usually toed the British line on most matters was very daring.

In 1923 the Panagal Government was faced with a no confidence motion brought by Sir Cattamanchi Ramalinga Reddy, an erstwhile Justice Party member who resigned his membership and forming a splinter group aligned with the Swarajists. The motion was debated and OT Chettiar’s speech outlining the achievements of the Panagal Government turned the tide. When put to vote, the Panagal ministry survived with 65 members of the House voting against the motion.

During these busy years OT Chettiar did not neglect his legal practice. He now had juniors such as WS Krishnaswami Nayudu (who later became Judge of the High Court), KB Krishna Rao Naidu (later a District Judge) and TR Kothandarama Mudaliar. By 1924 he had enrolled himself as an Advocate in the Madras High Court. A couple of years later the firm of Bewes and Thanikachalam appears to have been dissolved with Bewes becoming Public Prosecutor and OT Chettiar setting up independent practice. WS Krishnaswami Nayudu in his memoirs (My Memoirs, Justice WS Krishnaswami Nayudu, 1977) recalls that the day would begin at 305 Linghi Chetty Street at 7.30 am with senior and juniors going through the cases for the day. Most of the cases were on the Original Side and some were at the City Civil Court. At 9.30 am they would disperse, each going home for meals and then reassembling at Court by 10.45 am. OT Chettiar would keep a watchful but fairly lenient eye on his juniors and encouraged them to prepare briefs independently. He also introduced them to his clients and allowed them to interact independent of his presence. Evenings would be spent at the Marina in the company of the juniors or at the Cosmopolitan Club. OT Chettiar, according to Nayudu greatly relished his meals. He preferred his breakfast to be English in style and when travelling always ate in the European Refreshment Rooms at the stations.

In 1924 OT Chettiar was conferred the title of Rao Bahadur by the Government. The same year the first All India Non Brahmin Conference was held in Belgaum and OT Chettiar participated in it, travelling in state in a special first class carriage. He also participated in the 1925 Second All India Non Brahmin Conference in Amraoti. In 1926 the Justice Party lost in the elections. With that, OT Chettiar’s participation reduced in government matters. But he continued with other social activities of which there was no shortage. At one time he was on the board of Governors of his old school in Muthialpet, looking into the welfare of students of the Veterinary College, inspecting and studying the welfare of the inmates of the Government Institute for Mental Health, Trustee of the Kandasami Temple on Rasappa Chetty Street and also involved with religious institutions. He also served on the Board of the Pachchayappa’s Trust between 1920 and 1929. He was conferred the title of Dewan Bahadur in 1926.

In 1928, OT Chettiar shifted home, moving to Waverley House, a bungalow in Egmore.. By then he had been diagnosed as being ill with diabetes and was asked to take adequate rest to recuperate his health. Taking up a bungalow on Osborne Road in Bangalore Cantonment, he relaxed for a large part of the summer of 1928.  Though in indifferent health, he participated with enthusiasm in the first Self Respect Movement Conference organised in 1929 by ‘Periyar’ EV Ramaswami Naicker. With the reopening of the Courts following the summer vacation in 1929, OT Chettiar was appointed Chief Judge of the Small Causes Court. But his health took a turn for the worse and he passed away on 21^st July 1929. Several condolence meetings were held. Notable among these was the one held at the High Court with Chief Justice Sir Owen Beasley and the Advocate-General Sir Alladi Krishnaswami Iyer participating. Later the road in T Nagar was named after him.

Much later, rather ironically, a property on this road was gifted by KB Sundarambal to S Sathyamurthy, the Congress party member and freedom fighter, who built his house there. Sathyamurthy and OT Chettiar had been bitter opponents at the Legislative Council. A few years later there was a move, perhaps supported by Sathyamurthy to rename the street as the Hindi Prachar Sabha Road. This witnessed enormous protests and the move was dropped. Today the ‘Chettiar’ has been dropped from the street name and it is now Thanikachalam Road, but the man who gave it the name is largely forgotten. Perhaps the last public function that commemorated him was in 1959 when his portrait was unveiled at the public function in Armenian Street (at the Gokhale Hall?) with CN Annadurai presiding.

This account of his life is based on a slim volume O Thanikachalam Chettiar – Samuthaya Neethiyin Mahattaana Thalaivar translated into Tamil by Prof S Ratnasami based on the English original by Prof M Ilanchezhiyan and published Dr O Somasundaram (one of OT Chettiar’s sons) in 1996. It is supplemented by notes from WS Krishnaswami Nayudu’s memoirs and from A Century Completed, A History of the Madras High Court 1862-1962, by VC Gopalaratnam and published by the Madras Law Journal Office.

 

Sriram V